Crime rate in Malaysia not bad??....

I came across a mini report titled 'Some people tarnishing country's image' on the 20th Jan 2010 print edition of The Star. After reading the report, I can only shake my head in disbelief and at the same time laugh in amusement.

The report cited our (Malaysia) dear deputy home minister commenting that certain quarters are tanishing the country's image by claiming that the police had failed to ensure public safety.... He was replying to a recent online poll with 20,000 respondents claiming they felt unsafe! My funny bones were tickled when he said the poll was only reflective of 0.03% of the population!!

That was a very dumb comment i would have to say. I hope it was a slip of the tongue rather than he meaning what he said. If indeed he meant it that way, is he implying the other 99.97% of the population felt very safe?? Who is he trying to joke to...
Does it require a poll with the ENTIRE population to convince him?? I would say other than the 'law enforcers', most of us would tick the very same box as the 0.03% polled previously!

Logically speaking, isn't that how polls work? To take a sample population for testing? And given that its an online poll, the respondents would generally come from various geographical locations and from various walks of life, making the poll results as fair as possible.

The icing on the cake was him commenting that "crime rate here is not as bad as certain quaters claim, especially when compared to other countries." Is he comparing Malaysia with the likes of Zimbabwe and Angola?? Who is he kidding man...

A throw of the stone in the streets of Malaysia would more likely hit someone who has been a crime victim than not...

The national crime laboratory has identified 52 initiatives to tackle the national crime rate...I can only wonder how soon can these be implemented, and if we will notice ANY positive changes at all if they are ever implemented... maybe in the next 520 years...

$Moneylending$ ads everywhere...

In recent years, the most prominent sight (i would say) to hit Malaysia are print ads of 'money lenders'. These ads are literally EVERYWHERE! As long its a spot the public eye is exposed to, 'smack' up goes a poster advertising 'Pinjam $$, Low Interest, Call 01X-XXXXXXX'. From the back of a public toilet door, road signs, lamp-posts to shop fronts, nowhere is left untouched by these moneylenders and their ads.

Of late, innovation has struck these people as well, with names such as 'OBCB Credit' and 'RBH Credit' popping up on their ads. Not only that, their ads have appeared hanging from overhead flyovers across major roads...Contents have even taken a "softer" tone, with some advertising: "We are not moneylenders, we just want to help you!" What a full load of crap i say...

On major roads, the road signs are not spared as well. Many have their directions obscurred by the ads...we are talking about about directions to hospitals and other amenities! Come on, this is definitely too much to swallow! Both new residental and commercial parks are not spared within weeks of opening. 'No Entry' signs, 'One Way Traffic' signs and even handicap parking lot signs are all defaced by these thugs.

It has become an ever increasing eye-sore to everyone, with the exception of people who could use with their services i suppose...These acts of vandalism, acts of defacement, are spreading like an epidemic across the country, from the heart of cities to the quiet countrysides. While we lament about the lack of infrastructure and the quality of the exisiting infrastructure, these irresponsible buggers couldnt care less and continue vandalising exisiting public property without any fear of the law. On the other hand, it is of interest if the law to tackle this problem or to tackle these illegal moneylenders even exist! So much "resource" has been put into arresting people accused of drinking or placing bets that are forbidden based on religious grounds... Heck, I don't see any efforts at all in tackling these vandals or the masterminds behind them!

Even with HUGE leads given in the form of phone numbers posted on these ads, there appears to be a severe lack of action taken against these vandals, or more correctly, illegal moneylenders. Of course, we cant just blame the authorities for the lack of action. The vandals, the main culprits, should be shamed in public with the posters pasted all over themselves for a start and then sent packing to jail to enjoy the curry rice and free accomodation there while getting massaged by the rotan. In addition, the printers that supply the ad materials should also not escape punishment. I say a severe fine and revoking of license to operate will be a good deterrence to the availability of these ads in the first place.

So much have been invested to erect our public facilities and so easily have they been destroyed. These vandalistic acts are definitely going to cost our public coffers (when the states DO take action) in efforts to restore the facilities to their original appearance.

of Mamaks & ayam

A couple of nights back, a few friends and I were engaged in a M'sia favourite past-time, having supper at an Mamak shop. Everything went ok, until the waiter came to take our order... As he swept through the group of us, almost regardless of what food you'd order, he would ask 'Nak tamba ayam tak??'. You order a naan, a roti, mee goreng or tosai, and out popped this question from him.

Now, everyone knows how expensively are the ayam priced at Mamaks...and here, the waiter is trying to brainwash us that if we don't order our food either with ayam or pattaya style...our food basically going to end up tasting like crap.

It seems nowadays even at Mamaks, the waiter have to cross-sell and up-sell their menu. Gone are the days that we can just order a teh-tarik and a roti kosong without looking like Mr Scrooge. It is commendable though, how deftly the waiters slot in this question and before you know it, you'd have a ayam (goreng/rendang/curry), like it or not, infront of you...

food to die for - funny food signboard

Was having breakfast at a coffee-shop in Klang a couple of weeks back when i came across this signboard of one of the foodstalls. Had to fight hard to contain my laughter when i saw the words 'BETTER GUARD MEE HUN SOUP' being used to describe what i believe is actually 'BITTER GOURD MEE HOON SOUP'! I guess we are being warned to eat at our own risks! There's probably either something potent in the soup or you're going to have to catch the MEE HUN they will be flinging at you once ready.

Somewhere and somehow, something went really wrong in getting the message across on the board...

Still, it sure provided plenty of humor for a grumpy early breakfast-goer like me...